Micropropagation of Sarcopoterium spinosum (L.) Spach. and Aristolochia clusii Lojacono : two plant species which are critically endangered in the Maltese islands

Abstract

Sarcopoterium spinosum (Thorny Burnet) is a Mediterranean endemic dwarf shrub which, in the Maltese islands, is considered to be critically endangered since it exists only as a single, small population in the rich Pembroke Garigue. Aristolochia clusii (Southern Birthworth) is a very rare perennial herb which is endemic to Southern Italy, Sicily and Malta. In the Maltese islands, though recorded from a number of valleys, is found in moderate abundance in only two of them. The major aims of this study were to successfully micropropagate these two plant species as a means of conservation and to develop a protocol for their efficient micropropagation.